I set out on my Hawking visit during "The Witching Hour", the time when the Washington Square Park Hawks routinely take a late morning/early afternoon break from the park.

I looked throughout the park for the Hawks as a matter of custom for 35 minutes but was not surprised they were absent.

On Saturday afternoon around 2:30 I spotted one of the Hawks on a chimney on a building at 3rd Avenue and 10th Street.

That building is marked with the red dot northeast of the park here:

We'd spotted Bobby on that building before in years past. The Hawk flew north, heading toward the Con Ed tower. I didn't have my camera with me so I lost it quickly.

Because of that sighting on Saturday I walked over to that building to see if one of our Hawks was there today and there was Sadie!

She was quite relaxed and even nappy:

Because I was standing on 4th Avenue and 9th Street I could see Sadie's regular Spanish tile roof perch due west:

I moved further east on the block to get a closer look at her and just caught her about to lift off:

I had watched her on her perch for 5 minutes.

She circled pretty low and around buildings at 3rd Avenue and 10th/11th Streets. She chased a local flock of pigeons.

Pigeons scattering:

She circled for 6 minutes then pleasantly surprised me by zipping to and landing on the base of the ConEd tower:

I watched her preen and rest for about 35 minutes before I headed back to the park for one last round to see if I could find Bobby.

Not a sharp photo but she's got her eyes closed:

It must be very quiet and peaceful up there away from most of the city din.

I was a block from the park when I checked the tall apartment towers east of the park and spotted one of the Hawks circling low in front:

Nice view if that's your terrace:

The Hawk circled some more above Greene and 8th Street (a block east and north of the park) when all of a sudden a second Hawk arrived. So here we had who was probably Bobby and Sadie circling together. They followed each other to the park:

I saw one of the Hawks as it flew over the park and southward. I couldn't find it again so I left for the day.

A Hawk buddy told me he saw three Hawks flying all over above and south of the park Saturday. They were calling out and flying close and clipping each others' wings. It sounded like perhaps Bobby and Sadie were chasing an interloper out of the park what with all that commotion. He described the action so well, it sounded awfully exciting and it's a shame I missed it! :)

I wasn't finding the Hawks in Washington Square Park this morning so I searched several blocks north and east, covering Astor Place and searching throughout Union Square Park. No Hawks.

I took some "B roll" photos during their absence I thought might be fun in the meantime.

There are certain angles where you can see the Empire State Building from the park:

What I didn't realize until today was that you can see people on the observation deck from this particular angle:

I love when a tree starts to grow on a building uninvited. This sprig is growing on a church a few blocks north from the park:

The complex is well maintained so I doubt it will grow too much bigger before it's removed.

***

There is a large gap in the park trees from where one of the huge western trees had been removed by the arborists. The unobstructed view now allows for you to check on the Hawks' flagpole when at the opposite side of the park:

I got to spend some quality time with Mama Sadie Hawk right outside Washington Square Park this morning.

I first spotted her on the eastern flag pole closest to the nest:

Scratch:

Another scratch a minute later:

She hopped off her perch after 8 minutes:

She circled in front of her perch for a few rounds before heading south:

She was easy to find because she was just one block over, on the water tower behind Bobst Library (location of the nest):

A kestrel dive-bombed her ten minutes later:

I watched her on this perch for half an hour but she seemed settled in so I went to the park grounds to look for Bobby (and perhaps the fledgling?).

The lawn behind one of the removed trees gets soaked with sun now:

I was shocked to discover two more western trees completely removed from the park (a tree this year's fledgling cavorted in a few times) and the humungous tree at the park's southwestern corner entrance.

A regular park-goer told me that corner tree (a London Plane) was hollow inside so it's just as well it was removed but it was a truly glorious tree in all its hugeness and greenery.

***

I wasn't finding any other Hawks so I returned to Sadie after 20 minutes:

It was extraordinary luck because she hopped off mere seconds after I returned:

She circled over that building complex's garden then flew back toward Washington Square Park:

Turns out she was back on her water tower perch:

Off after 3 minutes:

I caught up with her as she flew over the park and landed on her northwestern building perch:

I relocated to get an even better view but she was gone by the time I was ready to photograph her again. I looked for her and Bobby for several more minutes before leaving for the day. It was delightful to spend so much time with her after so long.

I was in Washington Square Park early this morning to look for the Hawks. I spent a little over two hours looking for them in the park and several blocks north and east of the park to no avail. I saw no Hawks. Neither did a fellow Hawk-watcher when I was a few blocks away.

I was on the largest northwestern lawn when all of a sudden I noticed I had a dramatically increased view of the sky in one area. The park trees have been getting pruned by arborists over the last several days so at first I thought the view was due to pruning when all of a sudden I realized an entire huge tree had been removed! This heap was located near where the tree once stood:

I was sad at this discovery because it was a tree Bobby and fledgling(s) have perched on often. In fact, it was the first tree I watched this year's fledgling sit in at the beginning of this post. For those who know the park, it was a tree behind and northwest of the Hawley monument.

A blog mostly about the Red-tailed Hawks of Washington Square Park (NYC)!
Personal use of my photos (saving and printing, etc.) is permitted.
Use of any of my images online or in print (i.e., for your facebook page, website, article, or any commercial use) is strictly prohibited unless I've given consent.
I chose the name "Roger Paw" as my blog name because it is in honor of my cat Roger and his paws.
This blog was originally going to be about my discoveries around town so little did I know it'd eventually be all about the Washington Square Park Hawks!